Josepha's Yakamein (Sober Soup)

Josepha's Yakamein Recipe

Growing up, my family and I would often visit New Orleans. On one such trip, my step-dad stopped at a liquor store in a neighborhood to grab something to eat. He returned with a large white Styrofoam cup filled with noodles, dark broth, pieces of beef, boiled eggs, and topped with green onions. He passed the cup around for me and my siblings to taste, and it was, and still is, one of the best things I've ever eaten. The six of us kids finished it in no time and begged him to get more, which he did. Although I was always afraid of the numerous bridges we had to cross to get to New Orleans, the promise of yakamein at the end of the trip made the journey more tolerable.

As time passed, our trips to New Orleans became less frequent and eventually stopped. After a few years without yakamein, my entire family started to crave it. My step-dad then tasked me with recreating the dish, which I did. The flavors I created were almost identical to what I remembered from New Orleans, and I continued to make it this way for years. No one in Lafayette, where I lived, had ever heard of yakamein. It felt like something unique to New Orleans.

One day, I watched a food documentary featuring Leah Chase and her "Sober Soup," also known as yakamein. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my made-up recipe closely resembled the actual one. This piqued my interest in the origins and variations of the soup, so I began researching it. Over the years, I continued to refine my recipe, trying to get it closer and closer to that first cup I had. With some encouragement from my friends, I now have a yakamein recipe that I'm truly proud of and more than happy to share! ~Josepha Morgan

Ingredients:

• 8.5 quarts water
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• 1/2 bulb garlic, chopped
• 1.5 inch ginger, sliced
• 3-4 dried chili peppers (Chinese or Thai)
• 1/8 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice
• 3 tablespoons beef bouillon (Better Than Bouillon)
• Beef bones (optional for stock)
• 1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup soy sauce (mixed regular and mushroom soy)
• 2.5 pounds beef, cut into large chunks (chuck roast suggested)
• 10 eggs
• 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
• 1.5 pounds large or XL Shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
• 6-8 green onions, for garnish
• Hot Sauce, for garnish

Directions:

1. Combine water, onion, garlic, ginger, dried chilis, Chinese 5 Spice, bouillon, beef bones (if using), Kitchen Bouquet, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil.

2. Once the onions become translucent, add the chunks of beef and boil for 30-40 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, boil the eggs in a separate pot to your liking, then peel them. Also, prepare spaghetti noodles to al dente in another pot.

4. After boiling, remove the chunks of beef from the broth and slice them thinly into strips. They will not be fully cooked.

5. Strain the broth to remove all solids and set it aside. The broth should be brown and free from any solids.

6. Taste the broth and adjust the soy and bouillon as needed.

7. Return the sliced beef to the pot and boil for another 45 minutes to an hour, until the beef is tender but still holds together.

8. Add the peeled eggs to the pot during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

9. If using, add the shrimp to the pot during the final three minutes of cooking.

10. To serve, ladle the broth, beef, eggs, and shrimp (if used) over cooked spaghetti noodles. Garnish with hot sauce and sliced green onions.

**Note:** Josepha recommends soaking the chunks of beef in several changes of water before cooking, to reduce foaming of the broth during cooking.Serves 8.

Josepha's Yakamein Recipe

**Ingredients:**

- 8.5 quarts water
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 1/2 bulb garlic, chopped
- 1.5 inch ginger, sliced
- 3-4 dried chili peppers (Chinese or Thai)
- 1/8 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice
- 3 tablespoons beef bouillon (Better Than Bouillon)
- Beef bones (optional for stock)
- 1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (mixed regular and mushroom soy)
- 2.5 pounds beef, cut into large chunks (chuck roast suggested)
- 10 eggs
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 1.5 pounds large or XL Shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
- 6-8 green onions, for garnish
- Hot Sauce, for garnish

**Directions:**

1. Combine water, onion, garlic, ginger, dried chilis, Chinese 5 Spice, bouillon, beef bones (if using), Kitchen Bouquet, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil.

2. Once the onions become translucent, add the chunks of beef and boil for 30-40 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, boil the eggs in a separate pot to your liking, then peel them. Also, prepare spaghetti noodles to al dente in another pot.

4. After boiling, remove the chunks of beef from the broth and slice them thinly into strips. They will not be fully cooked.

5. Strain the broth to remove all solids and set it aside. The broth should be brown and free from any solids.

6. Taste the broth and adjust the soy and bouillon as needed.

7. Return the sliced beef to the pot and boil for another 45 minutes to an hour, until the beef is tender but still holds together.

8. Add the peeled eggs to the pot during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

9. If using, add the shrimp to the pot during the final three minutes of cooking.

10. To serve, ladle the broth, beef, eggs, and shrimp (if used) over cooked spaghetti noodles. Garnish with hot sauce and sliced green onions.

**Note:** Josepha recommends soaking the chunks of beef in several changes of water before cooking, to reduce foaming of the broth during cooking.